Love and Chaos by Elizabeth Powers Page A

should be able to let him in and out from there if
that’s easier.”
    Emma
looked at him with surprise. “Seriously? That’s wonderful! Thank you. That will
make any late-night bathroom breaks so much easier. Thanks, Mason.”
    “You’re
welcome.”
    As
Mason slipped out the front door to go get Emma’s things from her car, Emma
started up the staircase to the top floor. “You coming, Chaos?” she asked when
she was halfway up. But the dog was still sitting in the foyer, waiting for
Mason to come back in. When he heard the sound of footsteps on the walk, his
tail started wagging, and he was at the door, happily greeting Mason when he
walked back into the house.
    Emma
sat down on the stairs and watched while Mason maneuvered into the house with
arms full of Chaos’ gear, while still trying to bend down and pat the dog on
the head. Chaos stood up and nestled up against Mason, his tail showing his
delight in making a new friend. For his part, Mason appeared to be equally interested
in the dog. He dropped his load to the floor, bending down to scritch the dog
first on the head, and then on the stomach when he rolled over for a belly rub.
    Emma
just chuckled. “He’s got you trained already,” she said lightly over her
shoulder as she stood up again and started up the stairs.
    Mason
looked up at her as she retreated, then back down at the dog. This might not be
as bad as he’d thought, he realized. Maybe he did like dogs after all.
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
    Six
     
    As
the days went by, Emma found that it was easy enough to talk with Mason and
interact if she could pretend that they were not husband and wife. That they
were strangers. But now that she had moved her things into his house, that was
changing. She was taking on a role that she didn’t want, hadn’t asked for, and
resented. She didn’t want to leave her home, her neighborhood, her life. She
particularly didn’t want to do it because she had been forced into a hole by
her sister and this man. This man who seemed like a robot to Emma.
    He
was being kind enough. He offered her any room in his house for her bedroom if
she wasn’t pleased with the one he’d initially suggested she use, and any other
room for an office. He told her to help herself to anything in his kitchen. To
swim in his pool. To use his gym. To raid his wine cellar. But it was so
impersonal, and so completely different from anything Emma was used to. She
wanted warmth, life, laughter. This home had none of that. Decorated in light
wood, stainless steel, and black and white furniture, there was no color.
    The
kitchen was amazing - full of all the appliances Emma had ever wanted or
dreamed of. But the room itself left her cold.
    The
only place where she felt at home was in the all-season room that was attached
to the back of the house. This room was filled with plants and foliage and lawn
furniture, and it looked out over an amazing view of the water. It needed a few
pillows to make it more livable, but the room itself had a warmth to it that the
rest of the house lacked.
    Chaos
seemed to agree with her. When he wasn’t with her, he spent most of his time
out in the all-season room, looking out the windows and occasionally barking at
nothing.
    Mason
was never home. It wasn’t really a problem for Emma, since she had her own
friends and her own job to keep her busy. It was just odd, she thought. It was
like being married to a ghost. He came home late, went to his study, then to
bed. Seldom stopped by the kitchen, only occasionally checked in with her to
see how she was, and he was gone again in the morning before Emma was up. Chaos
occasionally barked when he heard Mason moving around downstairs, but that was
often the only way that Emma knew that her husband was around.
    One
Saturday morning, Emma woke up starving. She wanted coffee and breakfast, in
that order. Padding down to the kitchen, she looked into the fridge, but saw
nothing that resembled breakfast food. Same for the